More Thought Might Be Given To Governors Following Selves

State Politics

Virginia governors can't succeed themselves. They can run for re-election only after sitting out at least four years, and no other state does it that way.

Changing that rule would require a constitutional amendment and the blessing of voters. In the past, the General Assembly hasn't shown much appetite for rocking the boat, but this year, legislators might give the matter more than passing thought -- though if it gets very far, the details could get complicated.

With tough times facing the state, legislators are talking more and more about long-term planning. Virginia must look beyond the nearest election or the current two-year budget cycle, they say. The desire for long-term planning seems to conflict with a rule requiring a change of administration every four years.

Gov. Mark R. Warner supports getting rid of the limit. It wouldn't affect him, and he doesn't want it to affect whoever is elected in 2005. Incoming House Speaker William J. Howell said he could support a constitutional amendment "if the governor is relieved of some of his vast powers."

In exchange for a four-year limit, a Virginia governor has broad power to appoint people to various boards. Given eight years, a governor could reshape college and university boards and the State Board of Education, just to name two. So somewhere, there has to be a trade-off, and that's where the debate will turn.

"I think that the governor recognizes that," Howell said. "How's it going to do this time around? I think it's more visible this time around. There's a lot more talk about it."

A LOCKE FOR SENATE?

Hampton Mayor Mamie Locke is keeping quiet about her political future.

U.S. Rep. Robert C. Scott has said Locke would make a good candidate for the Virginia Senate, assuming that W. Henry Maxwell retires this year, as is widely expected.

But Locke is waiting until Maxwell publicly announces his retirement.

"Until such time that Sen. Maxwell says he is not running, I am not going to comment on that seat," she said.

Of course, if Locke doesn't plan to run, she wouldn't have snubbed anyone by saying so.

If Locke does run, she will face competition from Hampton Treasurer Molly Joseph Ward for the Democratic nomination in the solidly Democratic district. Ward has announced plans to run for Maxwell's seat when he retires.

MR. NOVEMBER.

Del. Tom Gear wants to make Hampton, Newport News and every other Virginia city conduct council elections in November, rather than May.

Conducting elections twice a year is costly, Gear said. In Hampton, moving the election would save $30,000 a year, said Gear, a Republican who once served on the Hampton City Council.

"That's another police officer they can put on the streets," he said.

A few cities in Virginia, including Poquoson, have moved their council elections to November.

Advocates for conducting council elections in November say it would increase the number of people who vote because turnout is almost always higher in November elections than in May's elections.

Others say moving the council elections will have the opposite effect -- fewer people will pay attention to council candidates because statewide candidates will soak up all the attention.

MORE THAN MONEY.

Most of the coming General Assembly session will focus on the budget. But social issues promise to get a full airing, too.

Several bills filed propose further restrictions on abortion, including a ban on what abortion foes term "partial-birth" abortion. Last year, a partial-birth-abortion ban passed the General Assembly but was vetoed. The Senate sustained that veto, but this year's version of the Senate has two new conservatives: Ken Cuccinelli and former delegate James K. "Jay" O'Brien Jr., so expect to see a big debate again.

BUCKS FOR BUCKS.

A group called Foundation 2002 spent $3,073,026 successfully persuading Virginia voters last year to approve $1 billion in bonds for colleges and parks, its final disclosure through the Virginia Public Access Project indicated. A third of that money came from college and university foundations.

The Yes Campaign -- the group that tried but failed to persuade Hampton Roads-area voters to approve a sales-tax increase for transportation projects -- spent $2,188,627, its final voluntary disclosure indicated.

The two leading opposition groups to the tax proposal -- the kNOw Campaign and the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance -- combined to spend just $12,173.

Terry Scanlon can be reached at 247-7821 or by e-mail at tscanlon@dailypress.com

Hugh Lessig can be reached at (804) 225-7345 or by e-mail at hlessig@dailypress.com